The Chinese Embassy in Manila announced that 16 officials linked to the Kalayaan Municipality council resolutions declaring the Chinese ambassador “persona non grata” are now barred from entering China, including Hong Kong and Macao, invoking the “principle of reciprocity.”

In a statement, the embassy described the Kalayaan resolutions passed in 2023 and 2026 as “so-called” measures and said the individuals who “fabricated” them are no longer welcome in Chinese territory. The move marks a rare diplomatic response directed at local government officials rather than national authorities.

Those named in the statement include Beltzasar S. Alindogan, Maurice Phillip Alexis S. Albayda, Nonelon B. Balbontin, Nonie C. Gapuz, Roberto M. Asiado, Hubert B. Llavan, Francis P. Polizon, Marilou S. Vales, Monico A. Abogado, Eugenio B. Bito-onon, Hermoso A. Ornopia, Tracylie Shierjun R. Malabayabas, Arzel E. Belidan, Vicencio R. Milan, Allan D. Dellosa, and Mary Cristina J. Lagrosa.

Kalayaan, a municipality under Palawan, administers parts of the Kalayaan Island Group in the West Philippine Sea, an area also claimed by China. Tensions over sovereignty and maritime rights have repeatedly surfaced in diplomatic exchanges between Manila and Beijing, particularly in recent years.

As of posting, Philippine national government officials have yet to issue a formal response to the embassy’s announcement. Diplomatic observers note that while persona non grata declarations are typically handled at the state level, the latest development underscores how local political actions tied to the West Philippine Sea dispute can ripple into broader diplomatic friction.